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Patient Rights

Florida law requires that your health care provider or health care facility recognize your rights while you are receiving medical care and that you respect the health care provider’s or health care facility’s right to expect certain behavior on the part of patients. You may request a copy of the full text of this law from your health care provider or health care facility. Below is a summary of your rights and responsibilities.

As A Patient You Have The Right To:

Impartial, reasonable access to medical care/treatment or accommodations regardless of race, national origin, religion, physical handicap, or source of payment.

Be treated with courtesy and respect, with appreciation of your dignity, and with protection of your need for privacy.

Treatment for an emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide treatment.

Be given by the healthcare provider information concerning your care, health status, diagnosis, planned course of treatment, alternatives, risks and prognosis (you have the right to refuse this information).

Participate in ethical questions, the development and implementation of your plan of care, treatment and decisions regarding your care, including issues of conflict resolution, withholding resuscitative measures, foregoing or withdrawing life-support treatment, formulating advanced directives and care at end of life.

You have the right to know if medical treatment is for purposes of experimental treatment/research or education and to give your consent or refusal to participate in such experimental research.

Within the limits of the law, to personal privacy and confidentiality of information. You have the rights to expect that information will not be released without your consent.

Receive care in a safe/secure setting.

Designate a decision-maker (Health Care Surrogate) in case you become incapable of understanding a proposed treatment or are unable to communicate your wishes regarding care.

Access protective services and to be free of abuse, harassment, and neglect.

Give informed consent, after explanation of the risks, benefits and alternatives of proposed treatments and procedures.

Accept medical care or refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal.

Know who is providing medical services and who is responsible for your care.

Appropriate assessment and management of pain.

Be transferred to another facility or request a second opinion.

Pastoral care and other spiritual services.

Access communication, except under circumstances that may pose a risk to you or others.

Know what patient support services are available including whether an interpreter is available if you do not speak English.

A prompt and reasonable response to questions and requests.

Know what rules and regulations apply to your conduct.

Express grievances/complaints and have those complaints reviewed, and when possible resolved. Grievances/complaints can be communicated to any member of the medical team (i.e., physician, patient representative, charge nurse, department managers, etc.). In addition, patient grievances/complains may be reported directly to: Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Building 1, Mailstop #27, Tallahassee, Florida 32308, 1-800-342-2762, Consumer Assistance Unit, 1-800-419-3456

Request that the quality of your care or discharge plans be reviewed by the appropriate Quality Control and Peer Review Organization (Medicare/Medicaid patients only).

Be given, upon request, information and counseling on the availability of financial resources related to your care.

Receive, upon request, prior to the treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for your medical care.

Receive a copy of an itemized bill and upon request an explanation of charges.

Be free of restraints that are not medically needed.

Have a family member or your own physician notified of your hospital admission.

Access information in your clinical records, within a reasonable timeframe.

Be cared for by staff educated about Patient Rights.

Know, upon request, and prior to treatment, if the hospital accepts Medicare assignmentrate (Medicare patients only).

Retain and use personal clothing, as space permits.

Have family participate in care decisions or exclude any and or all family members from participating in your care decisions.

Request a copy of the hospital’s Code of Ethical Behavior Policy.

Your Responsibilities As A Patient

In order to ensure that you receive the best care possible during your stay at Cedars Medical Center, we need your help. By assuming these responsibilities, you can contribute to your care in a positive way.

Providing Information

You are responsible for providing to the healthcare provider, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters relating to your health.

You are responsible for reporting unexpected changes in your condition to the healthcare provider.

You are responsible for reporting to the healthcare provider whether you clearly understand the medical treatment plan and what is expected of you.

Following Instructions

You are responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by you health care team. You are responsible for keeping appointments and, when you are unable to do so for any reason, notify your physician or health care facility.

Treatment

You are responsible for your action if you do not accept treatment and do not follow your physician’s instructions.

You have the right to make decisions concerning your healthcare. But you do not have a right to demand treatment that is medically inappropriate or unnecessary.

Hospital Charges

You are responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of your health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

Rules And Regulations

You are responsible for following health care facility rules and regulations affecting patient care.